Hu Hsien
Medium Outsider (Native, Shapechanger, Spirit) Hit Dice: 6d8+12 (39 hp) Initiative: +2 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares) Armor Class: 17 (+2 Dex, +4 deflection, +1 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+7 Attack: Rapier +8 melee (1d6+1/18-20) or bite +7 melee (1d6+1) or shortbow +8 ranged (1d6/x3) Full Attack: Rapier +8/+3 melee (1d6+1/18-20) and bite +2 melee (1d6) or shortbow +8/+3 ranged (1d6/x3) Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft. Special Attacks: Drain life, fascinate, spell-like abilities, touch of the hu hsien Special Qualities: Alternate form, damage reduction 5/magic and cold iron, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 1, immunity to fire, low-light vision, resistance to cold 10, scent, spell resistance 16, vulnerability to electricity Saves: Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +8 Abilities: Str 12, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 17, Wis 17, Cha 18 Skills: Balance +11, Bluff +17, Concentration +9, Diplomacy +21, Disguise +11 (+13 acting), Hide +15, Intimidate +6, Jump +14, Knowledge (nature) +10, Listen +14, Move Silently +15, Sense Motive +12, Spot +14, Survival +3 (+5 in aboveground natural environments), Tumble +11 Feats: Lightning Reflexes, Negotiator, Weapon Finesse Environment: Temperate plains, forests, hills, and mountains Organization: Solitary or pack (2-6) Challenge Rating: 5 Treasure: Standard Alignment: Usually chaotic evil Advancement: 7-18 HD (Medium) or by character class Level Adjustment: +7 This maiden has exceptional beauty and grace. Her long, flowing hair is rust-colored, and she wears long, silken robes. The hu hsien are a race of shapeshifting supernatural foxes. Cunning and clever, hu hsien delight in their ability to manipulate and torment hapless humans. Their preferred victims are those who doubt their existence. Hu hsien feed on the life force of other creatures. To do so, the hu hsien generally assumes human form and uses its fascinate ability to cause the victim to fall hopelessly in love with it. The victim, totally blinded by love, is not aware that its life is slowly being drained away. Once the process starts, the victim can only be saved if the hu hsien is driven away or destroyed. Hu hsien are not totally cruel and ungrateful. They have been known to reward or aid people who have helped them or shown them kindness and generosity. Such rewards usually take the form of success at examinations, good fortune, or rescue in a moment of great danger. They are particularly attracted to scholars, both for good and ill. Hu hsien are particularly fond of wine, unable to resist its temptation. However, once intoxicated they unwillingly revert to their true forms. Hu hsien lairs are normally on the edges of human villages. Sometimes they occupy an abandoned house, using their magical powers to create the illusion of great wealth and luxury. Other times their lair is a fox den similarly enchanted to appear as a great mansion on the inside. Many times the unfortunate traveler has dined and slept in a grand hall only to awaken in the tight cramped space under the floors of an old house. A hu hsien stands 5-1/2 feet tall and weighs around 100 pounds. Hu hsien speak Common and Sylvan, and can continuously speak with animals (as the spell). COMBAT A hu hsien prefers to fascinate suitable prey upon which to feed. If faced with multiple opponents, a hu hsien uses its spell-like abilities to hamper and confuse them, then summons allies to fight for it. It generally uses its weapons only as a last resort. Alternate Form (Su): A hu hsien can shift between its humanoid and fox forms as a standard action. In humanoid form, it cannot use its bite attack, but it can use its spell-like abilities, supernatural abilties, and its weapons. In fox form, it can make bite attacks and use its spell-like abilities and supernatural abilities, but cannot use manufactured weapons. A hu hsien in either form has the same land speed. A hu hsien remains in one form until it chooses to assume a new one. A change in form cannot be dispelled, nor does the hu hsien revert to any particular form when killed. A true seeing spell, however, reveals both forms simultaneously. Drain Life (Su): Once a day, a hu hsien can feed on the life force of a human victim it has enchanted with its fascinate power. The hu hsien must remain in close, friendly contact with its victim for an hour, at the end of which it bestows one negative level on its victim. The victim is totally blinded by love and does not realize what has befallen them and will allow the hu hsien to slowly drain them to death, one negative level per day. The victim can only be saved if the fascination effect is broken (e.g. by break enchantment) or the hu hsien is driven away or destroyed by others. The DC is 17 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the hu hsien gains 5 temporary hit points. Fascinate (Su): A hu hsien may fascinate a single humanoid within 30 ft. This functions as a charm person spell with a duration of 2d6 days, except that the subject becomes helpful rather than friendly. Also, the hu hsien receives a +4 racial bonus to Charisma checks if necessary to convince the subject to remain in her company. A DC 17 Will save negates this effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. Spell-Like Abilities: At will—comprehend languages, detect thoughts, disguise self, hypnotic pattern, hypnotism, invisibility (self only), read magic, scare, ventriloquism; 1/day—legend lore, magic jar, major creation, mirage arcana, summon nature's ally IV. Caster level 6th. The save DCs are Charisma-based. Touch of the Hu Hsien (Su): Three times per week, a hu hsien may attempt to touch a creature (requiring a touch attack if the recipient is unwilling) and bestow a permanent blessing or curse. The blessing takes the form of a permanent bless spell (caster level 6th), while the curse is identical to the bestow curse spell (DC 17, caster level 6th). The save DC is Charisma-based. Skills: A hu hsien has a +4 racial bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. Originally appeared in Oriental Adventures (1985). Category:Outsiders